Adjustable wrench



May 21, 1935. M. J. LEAVECK ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Filed June 14, 1954 Patented May 21, 1935 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to adjustable wrenches and its principal object is to provide a wrench of the character referred to which will grip nuts of any desired dimensions within the range of the device in a firm and solid manner without the danger of slipping and consequent damage to the corners of the nut, such as frequently occurs with adjustable wrenches of the open jaw type as most commonly used.

A further object of my said invention is to provide an adjustable wrench which is light in weight, simple in construction and economical to manufacture by modern production methods.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, in which drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 2.

Like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

I is the frame bent up from strip steel of rectangular cross section and having at one end the flat portions 2 disposed at an angle of 120 degrees to one another and to the adjacent sides of the frame. 3 is the sliding body having a pair of flat gripping members 3| disposed at 120 degrees to one another and degrees to the axis x-m of the jaw. Integral with the members 3| is a square shank 32 and a screw threaded tail-piece 33. The shank 32 is guided in a square hole in a cross brace 4 of rectangular cross section which abuts upon the inner faces of the frame and is secured in position by cylindrical portions 4| which extend through corresponding openings in the frame members and are secured in position by riveting over as at 42, or alternatively by spotwelding or similar means. The tail-piece 33 is guided in circular openings in a pair of cross braces 5, 6, the said braces being secured in position between the side members of the frame by means of cylindrical portions 5|, 6! which extend through openingsin the frame and are secured in position in a similar manner to that described with regard to the portions 4| upon the cross brace 4. The cross braces 5 and 6 are arranged in parallel spaced relation, as shown in Figure 2, and between them is a knurled nut 1 which is screwed upon the tail-piece 33 and fits loosely between the braces 5 and 6 so that the said nut may be rotated by the fingers and thereby move the jaw 3 back and forth longitudinally so as to adjust the wrench to the particular size of nut 8 to be handled. The portions 2i of the frame are made arcuate in form, as shown in Figure 1, so as to adapt them for hand operation, and the free ends of the frame are turned inwards as indicated at 22 in Figure 2 so as to abut upon one another and impart the necessary stiffness to the wrench as a whole.

It is contemplated that my improved wrench will be manufactured in various sizes to meet commercial requirements, and the same may be chromium plated or otherwise protected from rust and corrosion.

It will be observed from the foregoing description and by reference to the drawing that I have provided a wrench which is characterized by light weight, simplicity of design and fewness of parts,

and while I have herein described and shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the same may be modified in various ways to meet any particular or peculiar requirements, without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, while the wrench shown is designed for use with hexagon screw heads and nuts, the same may be with equal facility adapted for use with square screw heads and nuts.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

As an article of manufacture, an adjustable wrench comprising a frame of substantially U- shape bent up from a single strip of metal of constant thickness throughout, having within the bend thereof one or more flat gripping surfaces and having its free ends turned inwards and abutting one upon the other to form a handle, a jaw positioned within said frame and movable longitudinally thereof having one or more flat gripping surfaces adapted to co-act with the gripping surface or surfaces upon the frame and having a square shank terminating in a screw threaded tail-piece, there being clearance spaces between said jaw and the adjacent inner surfaces of the frame, a transverse member within said frame having a square opening to slidably receive the said shank and having journaled portions secured within openings in the frame, a pair of transverse members within said frame arranged in parallel spaced relation having circular openings to slidably receive the said tail-piece and having journaled portions secured within openings in the frame, and a nut positioned between said last-mentioned transverse members and engaging said tail-piece. V

MICHEAL J. LEAVECK. 

